Capping apparatus for accommodating bottles with and without bumper rolls



J. w. ERME'R. JR.. ET AL Aug. 19, 1969 3,461,649

CAPPING APPARATUS FOR ACCOMMODATING BOTTLES WITH AND WITHOUT BUMPER ROLLS Filed May 31, 1967 INVEN TOR.

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BY M11147 C. KesZen United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for capping bottles which is selectively operable to accommodate bottles having ccnventional bumper rolls or plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls by selectively utilizing bottle guiding structure of a size to engage the bumper roll of a bottle or an adapter ring attachment mounted therein of a size to engage the periphery of the pouring lip of a bottle devoid of a bumper roll.

This invention relates to apparatus for capping bottles and more particularly to improvements in existing bottle capping apparatus capable of accommodating conventional bottles having bumper rolls for rendering such apparatus capable of accommodating plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls.

During the last several years, it has become conven- 9 tional practice to utilize caps of laminated metal foil and paper as closures for bottles such as milk bottles and the like. Apparatus for applying the caps to the filled bottles in a high speed production line have also been utilized over the years. An example of an apparatus of this type is disclosed in commonly assigned Henschen et al. Patent No. 2,473,523, dated June 21, 1949. The apparatus as disclosed in the above mentioned patent is operable to apply laminated metal foil and paper caps to the pouring lips of glass bottles having conventional bumper rolls by moving the pouring lip of the bottle with a cap disposed thereon upwardly into an annular outwardly expansible capping member.

The apparatus includes a cap feeding mechanism which is operable to position successive caps in a feed position directly below and in alignment with the capping member. In operation, the filled bottle is moved vertically upwardly with respect to the capping member, and during this vertical movement the walls of a guide opening en gage the periphery of the bumper roll of the bottle to ensure that the pouring lip of the bottle will be centered and in proper position of alignment to enter the cap disposed in the feed position. The guide opening also serves to maintain the alignment of the pouring lip during subsequent vertical movement including the final movement when the pouring lip with the cap disposed thereon is moved upwardly into the capping member to effect the final application of the cap to the pouring lip.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the aforesaid patent have proven quite satisfactory in operation. By utilizing the bumper roll of the bottle to effect centering and alignment of the bottle with respect to the cap and capping member, chipping and breaking of the pouring lip itself is substantially eliminated.

In recent years, efforts have been made to replace the conventional glass bottles, such as glass milk bottles or the like, with bottles made of a .plastic material. However, problems have been encountered in attempting to utilize the conventional laminated metal foil and paper cap as a closure for these plastic bottles. For example, due to the inherent flexibility of plastic, as distinguished from the rigidity of glass bottles, the closure must be 3,461,649 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 ice effective to withstand internal pressures resulting from squeeze forces applied to the bottle which heretofore were not encountered in dealing with glass bottles. To a considerable extent, these problems have been effectively overcome by various modifications in the contour of the pouring lip of plastic containers and some commercial utilization of plastic bottles capped with laminated metal foil and paper closures has taken place.

The plastic bottles heretofore utilized have been p-rovided with bumper roll constructions similar to the conventional bumper roll provided on conventional glass bottles. However, since the plastic bottles are usually blow-molded the bumper rolls of plastic bottles take the form of a more or less eliptical configuration rather than a full annular ring. Consequently, as utilized herein, the term bumper roll refers to bumper constructions of both the configurations noted above as well as other equivalent configurations.

The bumper roll construction provided in plastic =bottles has been found undesirable because it tends to weaken the entire neck structure, since, unlike the solid bumper roll of a glass bottle, it is of thin wall construction. Accordingly, it is desirable to eliminate the bumper roll in a plastic bottle in order to provide a stable neck construction.

The present invention is based upon the proposition that plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls can be capped with the use of conventional capping apparatus provided with modifications in accordance with the principle of the present invention operable to engage the periphery of the pouring lip of the bottle for the purpose of centering and maintaining alignment of the bottle during the application of the cap in the capping apparatus.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in capping apparatus conven tionally adapted to apply caps to bottles having bumper roll-s which render the apparatus capable of accommodating plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a simple adapter ring insert or attachment for a conventional capping apparatus which renders the machine capable of applying conventional caps to plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an adapter ring of the type described which is capable of being applied to existing capping machines in the field.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus of the type described which is simple in construction and effective in operation and economical to manufacture and maintain.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims:

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional 'view of a conventional capping apparatus with the improvement embodying the principles of the present invention applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG- URE 1, illustrating the manner in which the apparatus is operable to apply a cap to a plastic bottle devoid of a bumper roll; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 illustrating the application of a cap to a conventional bottle having a bumper roll.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown therein a capping apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 10, which is constructed in accordance With the teachings of the aforesaid Henschen et a1. Patent No. 2,473,523. Insofar as the details of construction of the apparatus are concerned, reference may be made to the aforesaid Henschen et al. patent, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated into this specification.

For present purposes, it is sufiicient to note that the capping apparatus 10 includes an annular outwardly expansible capping member 12 mounted within a frame structure 14, so that its axis is disposed vertically. Disposed within the capping member 12 is a presser foot member 16 which is mounted so as to be resiliently urged into a normal limiting position adjacent the lower end of the capping member, as shown in FIGURE 1, and to be yieldingly moved within the capping member during the capping operation, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The frame structure 14 includes a rigid platform member 18 mounted beneath the capping member and having a bottle neck receiving throat opening, generally indicated at 20. The opening 20 includes a lower upwardly and inwardly flaring portion 22 which is operable to be engaged by the bumper roll of the bottle during its upward movement to ensure that the pouring lip of the bottle will be properly centered and aligned with respect to the cap and capping member. The opening 20 also includes an upper portion 24 which is of a size to engage and receive the bumper roll therein so as to maintain the pouring lip of the bottle in proper alignment during the application of the cap to the pouring lip. As shown, the bumper roll engaging surface of the upper portion 24 of the opening 20 is generally cylindrical in configuration, having a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the outside diameter of the bumper roll.

Mounted on the frame structure 14 is a cap feeding mechanism, generally indicated at 26. Again, the details of construction of the cap feeding mechanism are not essential to an understanding of the present invention, as a full disclosure thereof is contained in the aforesaid patent to which reference can be made. For present purposes, it is sufiicient to note that the cap feeding mechanism 26 is operable to feed successive caps from the bottom of a stack of caps carried in a magazine structure into a position of axial alignment with the capping member 12 immediately below the same and above the upper portion 24 of the bottle neck receiving opening 20.

The apparatus 10, as thus far described, is of conventional nature and is disclosed in detail in the aforesaid patent. It Will be understood that the described structure forms a part of a capping head, a plurality of which are mounted in circumferentially spaced relation on a rotating dial. The apparatus thus forms a part of a machine used in a production line of bottling equipment, the capping machine dial including a corresponding series of bottle receiving platforms mounted for vertical movement during rotation of the dial beneath each capping head. Thus, in the operation of the conventional apparatus, a filled bottle is received beneath each capping head and is moved upwardly toward the capping head. In properly timed relation, the cap feeding mechanism 26 is operable to feed a cap into a feeding position beneath the capping member 12. As the bottle is moved upwardly, the bumper roll may engage the upwardly and inwardly flaring surface of the lower opening portion 22 to guide the neck of the bottle into proper centered relation. As the bumper roll enters the upper guide portion 24 of the opening 20, the pouring lip of the bottle is maintained in proper alignment to engage within the cap disposed in the feeding position by the cap feeding mechanism 26. During subsequent upward movement of the bottle, the cylindrical surface of the upper opening portion 24 maintains the pouring lip of the bottle in proper alignment so that the cap disposed thereon will engage within the capping member 12. As the pouring lip with the cap disposed thereon is moved further upwardly into the capping member, the presser foot member 16 is engaged and moved therewith and the engagement of the capping member with the periphery of the cap serves to apply the cap to the pouring lip of the bottle and complete an effective closure therefor as clearly shown in FIGURE 4. In the subsequent operation, the bottle is lowered and removed from the dial in accordance with conventional practice.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the improvement embodying the principles of the present invention is preferably in the form of an adapter ring insert or attachment, generally indicated at 28. The adapter ring includes an outer peripheral surface 30 of cylindrical configuration conforming generally in size and shape to the cylindrical configuration of the surface of the upper portion 24 of the bottle receiving opening 20.

The interior periphery of the adapter ring 28 includes a lower upwardly and inwardly flaring portion 32 and a relatively small upper cylindrical portion 34. As shown, the lower portion 32 extends from the lower edge of the ring upwardly and is frustoconical in configuration, being disposed at an angle of approximately 22 with respect to the vertical or axis of the ring. As shown, the lower edge of the ring is of a width of approximately of an inch.

The upper portion 34 is preferably of cylindrical configuration and, as shown, has an axial or vertical dimension of approximately of an inch. The diameter of the cylindrical surface is slightly greater than the diameter of the capping member.

Refer-ring now more particularly to FIGURE 2, there is shown therein the preferred manner of selectively mounting the adapter ring insert 28 within the upper opening portion 24 of the apparatus 10. As shown, the mounting is accomplished by a plurality of threaded pins 36 each having an inner end portion 38 of reduced diameter adapted to engage within registering apertures 40 extending transversely through the adapter ring 28. The platform member 18 is provided with a corresponding plurality of bores 42 threaded to receive the pins 36. As shown in FIGURE 2, three pins are provided, one being disposed on an axis extending radially outwardly of the axis of the ring and the other two being disposed in parallel relation equally spaced from a diammetrical extension of the axis of the first pin.

It will be understood that the adapter ring 28 is applied to the apparatus 10 by simply inserting the adapter ring in properly oriented relation upwardly into the upper portion 24 of the opening 20. The threaded pins are then turned to engage the inner end portions 38 within the apertures 40. The ring is removed by simply reversing this procedure.

It will be understood that when the adapter ring 28 is applied to the apparatus 10, the apparatus is then rendered suitable to accommodate bottles which are devoid of bumper rolls. In operation, during the upward movement of the bottle, the outer periphery of the pouring lip of the bottle will engage with the lower portion of the inner periphery of the adapter ring which serves to center the pouring lip in a manner similar to the lower opening portion 22. The upper portion 34, while somewhat larger in size than the outer periphery of the pouring lip of the bottle, maintains the pouring lip in general alignment during further upward movement as it is engaged within the cap held thereabove by the cap feeding mechanism. In this way, the pouring lip of the bottle is presented in proper alignment to enter the capping member, so as to effect the final application of the cap to the pouring lip of the bottle.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed Within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for applying caps of the laminated paper and metal foil type to bottles each of which has a pouring lip for receiving a cap and a bumper roll disposed below said pouring lip and extending outwardly therefrom including an annular outwardly expansible capping member operable to engage the periphery of a cap and apply the same to the pouring lip of a bottle in re sponse to a relative vertical movement therein of a cap disposed on the pouring lip of a bottle, means for feeding successive caps in centered relation beneath said capping member and a bottle engaging member defining an opening aligned with said capping member, said opening including a lower upwardly and inwardly flaring centering portion and an upper guide portion of a size and shape to engage the bumper roll of a bottle and to maintain such engagement during a relative upward vertical movement of a bottle with respect to said capping member sufficient to engage the pouring lip thereof within a cap positioned below said capping member by said cap feeding means and to move the engaged cap upwardly into said capping member to apply the same to the pouring lip of the bottle engaged therein, the improvement which comprises selectively operable means for rendering said apparatus operable to apply such caps to the pouring lips of plastic bottles devoid of bumper rolls, said means comprising structure operable to be selectively mounted within the upper portion of said opening, said structure defining upwardly and inwardly flaring surface means of a size and shape to engage the periphery of the pouring lip of a plastic bottle devoid of a bumper roll so as to align the pouring lip of the bottle for relative vertical movement with respect to the capping member to engage 2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said structure includes a ring having a cylindrical outer periphery of a size and shape to register with the second portion of said opening, said upwardly and inwardly flaring surface means comprising a frustoconical lower portion on the interior periphery of said ring.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said ring further includes a cylindrical upper portion on the interior periphery thereof of an axial extent substantially less than the axial extent of said lower frustoconical portion.

4. The improvement as defined in claim 3 wherein the axial extent of said cylindrical upper portion is approximately 5 of an inch.

5. The improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said lower frustoconical portion extends at an angle of approximately 22 with respect to the axis of said ring.

6. The improvement as defined in claim 2 including means for removably retaining said ring within the upper portion of said opening.

7. The improvement as defined in claim 6 wherein said ring retaining means comprises a plurality of pins threadedly engaged within said bot+ tle engaging member for movement into and out of the upper portion of said opening in response to turning movements thereof, said ring having a plurality of apertures extending transverse therein from the exterior periphery thereof for receiving the inner end portions of said pins when the latter are turned in a direction to move the same inwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner us. 01. X.R. 53-310, 3 7 

